YMCA

In 1844, George Williams founded the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in London, a bible study and prayer group for young men of all social classes to have a reprieve from the city’s industrialization. Years later, Thomas Valentine Sullivan from Massachusetts was working as in London as a marine missionary and was inspired by the YMCA to create a “home away from home” for people traveling for work. In 1851, he formed the first YMCA in the U.S. at the Old South Church in Boston, MA. Today, the YMCA is a nonprofit addressing youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. In the U.S., there are 2,700 Ys serving 9 million youth and 13 million adults annually, providing financial assistance to individuals and families who can’t afford membership. In 2019, the YMCA had the ninth highest revenue from private donations among U.S. charities at $1.1 billion.